The Chandelier That Changed Two Lives
by Nerweniel
Summary: Poppy Pomfrey finds out something rather surprising and Minerva McGonagall gets quite hysterical. Response to the ADMM Yahoo-group's "Chandelier"-Challenge!
1. Where Poppy Has News And Minerva Freaks

It was a hot, peaceful late August day at Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Really one of those days when you have a feeling nothing will ever change. When you have a feeling nothing will ever happen.  
  
Something did happen on that day, though.  
  
In the teacher's lounge sat four people- teachers, obviously. Augustus Kettleburn, Serena Sinistra and Rolanda Hooch sat- lay- hung in various couches, but the fourth person- Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, sat neatly, back straightened, at a small, walnut table in the corner of the room. She was staring frowningly at a small, full-scribbled piece of parchment.  
  
"Really, Sera." she then, after a close study of the thing, commented, half-turning around on her chair to look her Astronomy colleague straight in the eye.  
  
"Your handwriting is truly terribly, Sera- not to mention this- did you call it a schedule?"  
  
Serena grinned and shrugged her shoulders non-interestedly, focusing on the playing cards in her hand.  
  
"Yes, I do, Minerva. Guess that is the reason why you practically dragged it out of my hands… Have you any fours?" she then, suddenly, turned to Rolanda Hooch.  
  
"Go fish!" the other woman answered, as Minerva raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Yes, it is, Sera. And I'll tell you one thing- I am going to rework this- thing- until it at least looks like a proper lesson preparation!"   
  
"Great!" was Serena's dry comment, and she rolled her eyes- but careful to not have Minerva noticing it.  
  
"And don't roll your eyes at me."  
  
The bloody woman had eyes in the back of her head, or what?  
  
But, Serena had to admit with a smile- that was after all the one thing she certainly had learnt after almost twenty years of friendship with Minerva McGonagall.  
  
The bloody woman did have eyes in the back of her head.  
  
Rolanda Hooch grinned at the very recognizable quarrel between her two friends and opened her mouth to say something when…  
  
When she door went open with quite a bang, and a red-cheeked and quite excited-looking Poppy Pomfrey entered. Halfway the room, she stopped and stared round triumphantly.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen- well, gentleman, actually, you can never guess what I have just seen!"  
  
Her victorious smile only met the dumbfounded one's of the other teachers, but Minerva, eyes concentrating on the parchment again, non-interestedly muttered  
  
"Yes, Poppy, what's on?"   
  
"It's about our headmaster!" the Mediwitch exclaimed, and Rolanda Hooch started clapping her hands.   
  
"Tell!"  
  
"Yes, Poppy…" Minerva said, still not looking terribly interested.  
  
"Tell us what's going on, and Rolanda, please stop it. This is like trying to read hieroglyphs!"  
  
Rolanda ignored her, though, and Poppy, slowly, enjoying every moment, began  
  
"Our Headmaster, Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore… was in Hogsmeade buying a…"  
  
Here, she paused, and…  
  
"A WHAT!" three voices yelled in unison. Even Minerva slightly looked up now, holding a hal-empty ink bottle in her left hand.  
  
"He was buying a ring! An engagement ring! Our Headmaster is in love!!!"  
  
Minerva felt drops of ink on her face as the bottle hit the floor hard and broke. She didn't care, though. She didn't even notice it, in fact.  
  
"What?"  
  
Poppy nodded and grinned.  
  
"Yes, I saw him but I don't think he saw me- it was a real engagement ring in a purple box and he had words carved into it… probably the lucky lady's name, and…"  
  
But she was interrupted by a loud sigh, and as the three remaining people in the room woke up from the confusion, surprise and excitement, there was one thing their eyes automatically registered. Minerva McGonagall had stood up, looked uncharacteristically flustered and stuttered  
  
"I- I have to go…. Classes to prepare…"  
  
A loud bang proved to the very surprised teachers that they were not dreaming.  
  
Minerva McGonagall had run away. 


	2. Where Min Freaks More And Sera Finds Out

Minerva McGonagall had run away, and Poppy Pomfrey's joy literally slid off her face.  
  
"Have I said- something wrong?" she asked, turning towards her colleagues again, in a sudden way more uncertain tone.  
  
Serena stood up as in a dream, with difficulty folding her lips into a strange smile.  
  
"No, you didn't, Poppy, but, well-"  
  
She smiled again that weird smile, then headed towards the door.  
  
"I'll go check up on Minerva. I believe she may be…"  
  
She did not finish her sentence, though, and as soon as she'd closed the door and stood in the empty corridor, she started running. Because Serena Sinistra, probably Minerva McGonagall's best friend, had seen something the others- even Rolanda Hooch with her hawk eyes- had obviously not noticed.  
  
She had noticed the tears in her friend's eyes.  
  
And Minerva McGonagall did not cry- she simply didn't, she never, never ever cried. She fought, yes, and she yelled, raged, but she never cried.  
  
Serena had known Minerva for twenty years- ever since they had come to Hogwarts, and in all those long, turbulent years, she had not known one tear to blur the smooth, emerald surface of her friend's eyes.  
  
She was gasping for breath as she finally reached the door to the Deputy Headmistress's office- which suddenly seemed to be miles away from the lounge. Yet, Sera did not hesitate. With a firm gesture, she balled her fists and then, surprisingly soft, knocked on the ebony-wooden door.  
  
"Minerva?"  
  
A faint muttering from behind the wood told her what she needed to know.  
  
"Minerva, I know you are there, open up the door!"  
  
"No!"  
  
Serena sighed and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Don't you roll your eyes at me!"  
  
Apparently, Minerva's omnipotent gaze could see through hard, wooden doors as well…   
  
"Minerva, I know your password and I am entering. Clear?"  
  
No answer came, and Serena muttered "Digna est intrare!".  
  
She who is worthy to enter- another one of the little Latin word-jokes which always formed Minerva's passwords. And indeed the door flung open, and the first, and only, thing Serena noticed, entering the room, were her friend's red, puffy, tear-stained eyes.  
  
"Minerva, what is…"  
  
"Nothing." came the quick, obviously absolutely untrue answer, slightly muffled in a large, tartahn handkerchief.  
  
Serena rolled her eyes again, took a chair and placed it right next to Minerva's. Uncomfortably, she started patting her still crying friend's back, yet sternly- in a very Minerva-way, in fact- said  
  
"And now you are going to tell me what is wrong, and no excuses, missy!"  
  
Minerva, through her tears, found herself helplessly laughing.  
  
"Your imitation of me is almost perfect- only I would raise my eyebrows a bit, yes, like that!"  
  
Serena grinned and softly squeezed Minerva's hand.  
  
"That's better… but still, what is the matter with you, Min- and don't give me the "don't call me Min" thing now!" she quickly added, as Minerva opened her mouth.  
  
"Really, Minerva, what has upset you like that? I mean- Poppy's news was rather surprising, but… Was it Poppy's news?"  
  
A short, sad nod, and Minerva lowered her eyes, as to not have her friend read the truth in them.  
  
Sera frowned.   
  
"But what… Wait- is it you who's going to marry the Headmaster?"  
  
Stupid question, she immediately scolded herself. Damn stupid question. Would Minerva be crying, if… And suddenly, as Minerva fiercely shook her head, she saw it.  
  
"No, Sera, no, it's not me!"  
  
Serena let out a weird, hysterical sort of cry, then pinched her friends arm quite hard.  
  
"Wait! Wait, wait, wait, I see this! You, Minerva Icecube McGonagall, are in love with Dumbledore! Yes, of course you are! Damn, we've gossiped about how this would happen once for years and years and bloody years, yet… But Min, that's fabulous!"  
  
In the range of stupid things to say, this at least came as a close second…  
  
Minerva bowed her head and hid her face in her hands. Her body shook with sobs, and Serena silently embraced her friend.  
  
"I am sorry, Min…" she softly muttered, but Minerva shook her head, hiding her face in Serena's robes.  
  
"Don't bother, Sera… It's I who have been stupid all those years…. I should have grabbed my chance, I should have at least tried, instead of being the damn human ice cube I am… Now, it's- it's too late, Sera, he loves another and he'll marry and be happy and I…"  
  
She pulled back at this, looking sadder than ever, gazing down at her pale, folded hands.  
  
"And I will stay here and become the old spinster I already am… But Sera, who, who for heaven's sake?"  
  
Serena could only embrace her friend and shake her head.  
  
"I don't know, Min. I honestly don't… But does that matter? Won't it hurt you even more to know…"  
  
She was not good at comforting people, and now realized it more than ever.  
  
Minerva pulled back, tears gone but a new, cheerless, firm expression on her face.  
  
"No, it would not. I don't know…" she made a slight, helpless gesture.  
  
"I don't know whether you understand, Sera, but if I know who it is… Perhaps it's someone I know- someone I like, and that would perhaps make it easier to… Do you understand? I would step aside- I will step aside, as long as he is happy. But she needs to be worthy of him! Do you understand, Sera? I cannot… I cannot give him to just any ordinary woman… Do you understand?"  
  
Sera said just one sentence, though- very impressed by her usually so calm friend.  
  
"I do understand you must love him very, very much indeed."  
  
"I do."  
  
Not passionately, not emotionally had Minerva McGonagall spoken those two words- just very, very sincere.  
  
"And that is why I need to know who she is."  
  
"But how?" Serena shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"You are his best friend- you could just ask him, I suppose…?"  
  
It was a weak proposal, Serena knew- and Minerva looked at her friend as if Sera had just grown a third ear.   
  
"No!" She lightly shivered.  
  
"No, there must be another way! Not- that…"  
  
Serena frowned, then sighed and jokingly muttered  
  
"We could break into his office and search for the ring, of course… but I don't think that's such a good idea, now is it…"  
  
But from the very moment the words left her lips, Serena Sinistra knew she'd made a serious mistake. There were moments when Minerva's usually fine sense of humor totally abandoned her… and this was one. A faint smile appeared on Minerva's thin lips, and she shook Serena's hands with both her slender ones, nodding.  
  
"Thank you, Sera- I knew I could count on you! Thank you! Thank you!"  
  
"But…" Serena protested, yet before she could properly react, she found herself being dragged towards the Headmaster's office. 


	3. Where A Great Plan Turns Out Not So Grea...

There, she finally came back to her senses and pulled back from Minerva's firm grasp of her arm.  
  
"Minerva, I was joking! Jo-king! Remember the significance of that word! Joking!"  
  
Minerva faintly smiled.  
  
"I do. Come over here."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come over here."  
  
Despite herself, Serena obeyed. Minerva nodded.  
  
"Listen, here is the plan…"  
  
"Minerva," the Astronomy teacher uttered. "we don't need a plan. We are going back this instant! For God's sake, I am not going to break into the office of my employer."  
  
"You don't need to."  
  
"What?"  
  
Minerva sighed and rolled her eyes, again grabbing Sera's arm.  
  
"What? What? Really, Sera, you aren't that stupid, are you! Look, over there!"  
  
She pointed, but, though Serena's gaze followed the line of her slender, pale finger, the woman frowned. An empty corridor and a large chandelier. So?  
  
Minerva rolled her eyes once more.  
  
"The chandelier, Sera! Unscrew it, drop it- make a lot of noise! Albus hears it- comes running out, and a certain tabby cat creeps into his office… and… and finds out…"  
  
She lowered her eyes- and it were those three last words that made Serena oppress the rather sharp comment she had very nearly spoken. Suddenly, she saw her friend of twenty years as whom she really was- a woman who loved with all her heart. Softly she let her hand brush the other woman's arm.  
  
"Alright, Min. I'll do it. I'll come running from the opposite direction… I'll try and give you ten minutes, okay? I'll do it…" she repeated once more, as if to properly convince herself…  
  
And she did it. She almost dropped the large, metal chandelier right on her head, and she had quite a lot of difficulty with unscrewing it, yet finally it landed, producing a very satisfactory "bang", on the stone floor. Rapidly, Sera left, dragging the quickly-summoned chair she had been standing on with her.  
  
She just hoped Minerva found what she wanted. Or perhaps she didn't… Because, whoever it would be, it would be a shock anyway and Serena found it heartbreaking to see her brave, pulled-together friend in so much pain… Yet, perhaps she was right and perhaps it was the best for her just to find it…  
  
But that exactly was the problem. Minerva couldn't find the damn thing… She had swiftly entered the office as soon as the loud bang of the metal hitting the stone had echoed through the corridors and as soon as Albus- Albus!- had rushed towards the place of the "accident"… She searched and searched and kept on searching, and she did find some rather interesting things- mostly socks, in fact- but she didn't find the one thing she was looking for! Before she realized it, her ten minutes were gone and she stood on the cold stone floor of the corridor again… just in time, because she could already hear Albus' footsteps echoing! After he had re-entered his office, she rushed towards the place were Serena certainly curiously waited.  
  
"And?" was her greeting.  
  
Minerva shrugged her shoulders and- to her great irritation- felt new tears pricking behind her eyes.   
  
"Couldn't find it…"  
  
Serena felt the blood rush to her cheeks.  
  
"You couldn't find it? You couldn't f… Minerva, that thing…" She frantically pointed at the chandelier.   
  
"has very nearly hit me on the head! And you couldn't…"  
  
"Perhaps we should just stop trying…" was Minerva somewhat muffled response, but Serena, to her own great surprise, determinedly shook her head.  
  
"Oh no! Listen here- you unscrew this thing again- it's not original but it's something!- and I'll enter! Clear? Here's a chair…"  
  
The light returned to Minerva's eyes and she gratefully smiled as she ascended the chair and reached for the chandelier.  
  
"You are a darling, Sera. Now how does it unscrew… er, let me try…"  
  
"No, Min…" Serena pointed. "It unscrews the other way. And-"  
  
"And what, Professor Sinistra?" a sudden, low, slightly amused voice suddenly interrupted them. Minerva turned around quicker than she had ever thought possible. She almost fell off the chair as her eyes met… Albus Dumbledore's… 


	4. Where Misunderstanding Leads To Understa...

"Albus?"   
  
Minerva's hands trembled as she saw Dumbledore's jaw drop.  
  
"Professor McGonagall???" he uttered- obviously hardly believing what he saw.  
  
Minerva lowered her eyes.  
  
"I can explain..." came her, weak, reply.   
  
The Headmaster, folding his arms and staring at his deputy in surprise and confusion, nodded.  
  
"I'd hope so, Professor. I am not used to my employees dropping chandeliers and then breaking into my rooms…"  
  
A feeling of utter loneliness fell over Minerva's heart as she heard him speak that one word. Employees. Did he really think of her- his best friend, for God's sake!- as nothing more than just an employee, then? Apparently, he did. That would surely explain the distance, the- coldness in his eyes as he beckoned them.  
  
"Now, Professor McGonagall, Professor Sinistra, please follow me to my office."  
  
Minerva heard her own, strange, voice object- rightfully object, obviously. After all, it was her who had literally dragged herself into this action of hers…  
  
"Sera has got nothing to do with this, Albus. It's my fault. Leave her out of this." she flatly spoke.  
  
Albus raised his eyebrows, then slightly shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Very well, Minerva. Then you follow me."  
  
And she did follow him. Though he had at least called her by her first name, she felt more helpless than ever. This was the man she loved, and he would never love her in return. It was all so unfair, now wasn't it, she pondered, following her employer through the corridors. She had never loved anyone else than this person- at first her teacher, then her colleague and now her employer. He always had been the only one in her heart, for twenty full years now… She was quite pretty she knew- always had been- but why did this man, the only man she had ever wanted, have to be exactly the one she couldn't get?   
  
As they entered his office, she sighed and, at his bidding, sat down. She didn't even have to see the grave look in his eyes again to realize that she was in serious troubles. Damn serious troubles really. And yes, she had always been quite witty- but this was a quite exceptional situation, after all… well, it surely was one she'd never expected to find herself in.  
  
Because what a stupid idea it had been! Now come on! She'd always been so careful, so rule-following, so calm and intelligent… and now, she'd just lost every bit of common sense because of one silly ring! Because of one silly love.  
  
But her love wasn't silly. Not to her.   
  
"Minerva…" Albus began, after a long silence and after- ever the gentleman- offering her a lemon drop, which she refused.  
  
Minerva sighed, shook her head and then softly cut off his sentence.  
  
"No, Albus, it's me who has got something to say. That I- I am sorry…"  
  
But she wasn't sorry. At least, not really. She wasn't sorry because she couldn't help what had driven her to her perhaps rash action. She couldn't help loving him beyond reason. For twenty years- twenty full years!- she had tried with ever fiber of her slender body to fight her pointless, consuming love for her teacher- and later on, for her employer. And she had lost.  
  
For the very first time in her young life, Minerva McGonagall had lost a fight.  
  
The only battle in her life that really, really mattered, she'd lost.  
  
The battle against her own heart.  
  
"I am sorry, Albus, and…"  
  
But now it was Albus' turn to interrupt her.  
  
"Don't bother, Minerva, I am not angry with you. I just-"  
  
He looked at her thoughtfully, hesitatingly, and then added  
  
"I just want to know what's wrong with you tonight."  
  
"Nothing."   
  
Minerva McGonagall really wasn't a good liar. Her eyes told quite another story than just her reluctant "nothing"…  
  
Albus could hardly oppress a smile as he handed her one of his own, purple cups, filled with his personal, delicious-smelling hot chocolate. She gratefully accepted.  
  
"Nothing- oh, sure. Really Minerva, if you cannot tell a proper lie then just don't bother. Look at you. Your eyes are all puffy and red, you have your hair down in a totally uncharacteristic way and you are almost hyperventilating! You are upset, Minerva."  
  
"I am not!" was her fierce reply- but she immediately knew she was lying again. Yet what could she do but lie?   
  
Albus smiled and then- quite unexpectedly indeed- softly stroked her hand with his thumb.   
  
"Do not lie to me, Minerva McGonagall. I grew up with Aberforth- lies have no effect on me. What is the matter? What made you break into my office?"  
  
His asking irritated Minerva beyond words. After all, it wasn't as if he cared the least about her… and he could as well stop pretending and just leave her alone. He wasn't angry with her, he had said and she did believe him- if there was someone a worse liar than herself, then it probably was Albus Dumbledore! She was grateful for that, yes, he had been and perhaps even still was one of her best friends, but… Couldn't he just let her go and propose to the ruddy woman who'd captured his heart? She didn't even care anymore…  
  
Shaking heavily, she stood up, with a bang replacing the half-empty cup on his desk.   
  
"Look, Albus, I told you I am sorry and I truly am. Can I please go now?"  
  
"No…"   
  
He suddenly looked very serious as, out of his pocket, he took a small, dark purple velvet-covered box.   
  
"I wonder, Minerva, whether it has perhaps something to do with this."  
  
Her reaction was unmistakable. With a soft cry, she landed again on her chair. She felt angry tears spring into her eyes again, and hated herself for it.  
  
Albus contentedly smiled, but the usual sparkles had very suddenly left his eyes …  
  
"So that's it. Yes, I thought Madam Pomfrey had seen me buy it. But what…"  
  
As soon as Minerva had returned to "common sense" mode again, though, she raised herself from her seat once more and headed for the door. She trembled and tears rolled off her cheeks now.  
  
"Yes, Albus, that's it. Poppy told me, I was stupidly curious and decided to pull a joke on you. Right? So now I leave."  
  
"Don't."  
  
The serious undertone in his voice made her freeze and stand still.  
  
"You know it's meant as an engagement ring?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"Well, Minerva, I'd want to ask you something- but I don't know…"  
  
Minerva suddenly had a terrible vision and started stammering.  
  
"Oh no, Albus, ask anyone, even Aberforth, to be your best man- but I won't be your best woman… Really, I couldn't…"  
  
He gravely nodded, and she sighed in relief. Yet something of pain cut straight through her heart as well. Did she then really mean nothing to him, nothing at all.  
  
"Yet I insist you do attend the wedding, my dear. That is, if the bride accepts."  
  
Minerva stood speechless. How could he hurt her like that? Was he really then too blind to see that she had had a terrible crush on him for no less than twenty years? Even now, when he hurt her with every word he spoke, she couldn't help hoping… Attend his wedding, she? Witness him saying "I do" to another woman?  
  
"I am sorry, Albus- but I really can't do that. Now bye- I have work to…"  
  
"Stay."  
  
Again, that certain, authoritarian tone in his usually soft voice made her freeze.  
  
But she did so want to leave…  
  
"Albus!" she almost cried, but she could not move, even when he stood up and moved towards her.  
  
"Albus, please, I have to go and I congratulate you with your wedding but…"  
  
"Would you like to see the ring?"  
  
Okay, Minerva said to herself after these, playfully muttered words. Okay, I don't have to take this from him, do I? This was torture and she had a strange feeling he very well realized it.  
  
"No, Albus Dumbledore!" she raged. "No, I don't want to see the bloody ring you're planning to give that bloody woman whose name is probably bloody carved into the bloody thing! I hope she…"  
  
Losing self control was not a good thing, Minerva realized. Losing your extremely strong, Scottish temper was even worse, though. But she went on.  
  
"I hope she bloody says "no" to your bloody proposal and no, I don't want to attend your pathetic little wedding!"  
  
Here, she was cut off suddenly.  
  
Because Albus Dumbledore, the Albus Dumbledore- had just backed her against the stone wall and she found herself holding her breath as the tip of his crooked nose touched hers.   
  
Then, it happened. The one thing that just couldn't happen, happened.  
  
All of a sudden, his lips were on hers and everything was good.  
  
She froze, though, and despite the warm, soft feeling of his- chocolate?- tasting tongue slowly seeking its way into her mouth, she couldn't move.  
  
Until she felt him, slowly, pulling back.  
  
Minerva McGonagall suddenly found her strength, and paradise was hers. All she could see were his cerulean eyes, twinkling as never before, all she could feel was this one moment, and all she could breathe was his life. His life, her life, their life- it all didn't matter anymore.  
  
She felt his quite muscular arms around her waist, she felt his hands caress her flowing, silky hair, she felt her own, slender arms crawl against his chest and around his neck.   
  
Albus had her caught between the wall and his body, and it felt wonderful.  
  
Only after minutes and minutes, they, half-smothered, pulled back and, as Albus softly stroked his long-desired, new lover's still wet cheek, he pointed towards the purple box.  
  
"Now open it."  
  
And she did. And tears- but of happiness, this time- again rolled off her cheeks as her eyes met the ring- a wonderful, silver ring wearing a dark red ruby. And most of all- the words carved into it.  
  
"Minerva, I love you."  
  
A cliché, probably, those three words, but on that very moment in her future husband's office, Minerva McGonagall found out- as so many lovers had found out before her- that those, little words, contained so much more than an ancient clich  
  
"Albus, I…"  
  
She looked up and Albus smiled tenderly as she curled up next to him. After a few more, rather enjoyable, moments, he grinned his very own, mischievous smile.  
  
"So you see, my dear, you must attend my marriage, I suppose. If my bride accepts my proposal, that is…"  
  
Minerva suddenly understood the game he had been playing with her all night, and widely smiled as she flung her arms round his shoulders, pulling him into a passionate kiss she'd never thought herself capable of.  
  
When she released him, he looked slightly flustered but smiled.  
  
"Do I have to take that as a yes, my dear?"  
  
"Damn yes you do!" came her, muffled answer, as he pulled her into another prolonged kiss again.  
  
Minerva McGonagall learnt one thing that night.  
  
Paradise can happen. 


End file.
